Taiwan will test its ability to defend its east coast with a series of missile drills later this month.
As the mainland’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) sends more warplanes and ships near the island, the Taiwanese air force plans to mount live-fire exercises within a restricted zone off the coast of Taitung from August 27-29, according to Taiwan’s Fisheries Agency.
The exercises will be followed by another series in the first week of September, as part of annual air-to-air firing drills.
The agency warned other aircraft and vessels to avoid the restricted zone during these periods.
The Taiwanese navy will also conduct sea-launched missile drills from August 20-23 and August 27-30 in three restricted areas: waters off Taitung, east of the southern county of Pingtung, and near Green Island and Orchid Island.
A military source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the drills would test the precision of all three types of Taiwan’s main combat aircraft: its Indigenous Defence Fighters, French Mirage 2000s, and upgraded F-16Vs.
“Similar to last year, the IDF, Mirage, and upgraded F-16V jets will be equipped with AIM-120 medium-range air-to-air missiles, Mica multi-target missiles, and Tien Chien-2 (Sky Sword II) beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles, respectively,” the source said.
The source declined to say whether the extended-range Tien Chien-2 missiles and US-made AIM-9X missiles would also be used.
Both missiles are relatively new to Taiwan.
The F-16V fleet at Chiayi Air Base has already been equipped with AIM-9X Sidewinder short-range air-to-air missiles, which feature an advanced imaging infrared seeker capable of hitting targets behind the launching aircraft, offering aircrew first-shot, first-kill opportunities. Taiwan has bought 100 of these missiles from the United States, with some already delivered. Full delivery is expected by 2030.
The extended-range Tien Chien-2, developed by the government-run National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology, went into mass production in 2021, with deliveries to the air force starting in 2022. The extended-range model, with an 80km (50-mile) range, features a wing-mounted rail system that can carry at least four missiles simultaneously, compared to the older version’s 60km range and two-missile capacity.
The navy would also deploy warships equipped with medium-range Hsiung Feng-2 and 3 supersonic missiles during the live-fire drills to test combat readiness against potential PLA attacks from the sea, the source said.
“The growing presence of PLA warplanes, ships, and drones near eastern Taiwan has necessitated strengthening military readiness in this region,” the source added.
The PLA has also intensified its “joint combat-readiness patrols” around Taiwan since William Lai Ching-te of the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party was elected the island’s leader in January.
Just three days after Lai assumed office on May 20, the PLA conducted two days of large-scale drills encircling the island in a blockade-like manoeuvre, responding to Lai’s assertion that Taiwan and the mainland “are not subordinate to each other” – a stance deemed unacceptable by mainland China.
Beijing regards the island as part of its territory that will eventually be brought under mainland control, by force if necessary.
Like most countries, the US does not recognise Taiwan as an independent state. However, Washington opposes any unilateral change to the status quo and is committed to supplying weapons for the island’s defence.
